Improvement in processes of stiffening hats



UNITED STATES PATENT EEIGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES OF STIFFENING HATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,513, dated September 7, 1875 application led March 23, 1875.

tTo all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUDOLF EICKEMEYER, of the city of Yonkers, county of Westchester, in the State of N ew York, have invented a certain new and useful Process of Stiffening Hats and other felted goods composed of wool or fur; and I do hereby declare that the following specication, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the saine, is a clear, true, and accurate description thereof.

Heretofore, in the manufacture of felted goods composed of wool or fur, such, for instance, as hats, caps, and othervarticles of wearing apparel, great difficulty has been experienced in giving them a capacity for retaining their desired shape regardless of wear and exposure. Prior to my invention felt hats, whether composed of wool or of fur,

have always been stiffened by the use ot' more or less sti'ening material, in order that they might, as far as possible, be capable of retaining through ordinary usage the shape imparted to them on the finishing-blocks; and

` hats, as heretofore treated, have depended solely upon the quality or quantity of the sti'ening matter used for the durability of their shape-retaining capacities. So far as my knowledge of the art extends, hats of the class referred to have heretofore always had the stiff applied thereto, either while in the conical form and prior to the development of the crown and brim, as effected by stretching or blocking, or after some slight preliminary blocking operation. The stretching operations necessarily displace the bers from their normal condition, as in the conical hat-body, and there subsequently exists a constant tend- 'ency for it to lose its nished shape and return to said conical form. This tendency is partially overcome by the presence of the sti'ening matter; but as the power of the latter is weakened by wear and exposure, the hat gradually 'resumes the original conical form of the body, and, as it is expressed in the trade, the hat goes to seed.

One of the principal novel features of my invention is to stien the fabric and set the bers of the felt, whether they be of wool or of fur, after the felted article has received its nal shape or form, so that whether stiffening matter be used or not, the article, although long used `and exposed, will retain its desired shape, thereby practically overcoming the tendencies heretofore existing for said articles to resume objectionable forms which are necessarily incident to the earlier stages of their manufacture.

Under my novel process, without the useof stift'ening matter, I produce what is known as a soft wool or fur hat, possessing the required degree ot' stiness, and a degree of desirable elasticity never before attained to my knowledge. Hats known as full stiff77 and half stiff77 are also produced under my process by the use of less than half the quantity of sti'enin g matter heretofore used for eifecting the same purpose.

Stiifening matter has heretofore been applied to the fabrics either in a pasty condition or in solution. When applied in solution the conical hat-bodies are dipped therein, and when withdrawn are subjected to pressure at'- ter the manner of wringing for expelling the excess of solution which they naturally absorb. When the pasty sti is used itis applied with a brush after the hat has been but partially shaped by blocking. The hats,

Vwhen treated by either of these methods, have heretofore been then placed in a steam-box until well heated and the stiff has fully penetrated the felt. This heating in the steambox results in a partial setting of the ber,

while the hat-body is either cone-shaped, as

in one case, or only partially shaped by blocking, as in the other instance referred to. This setting of the ber at either of these intermediate stages of the manufacture is detrimental rather that otherwise, because the execution of the final operations of stretching or shaping and block-finishing is rendered all the more difcult because of this steaming operation, and the setting of the bers incident thereto. l

The novel feature in my process, which consists in stiffening hats and other felted articles, after they have been fully stretched and blocked on the nishing-blocks, is accomplished by subjecting them to a steam-bath while properlysecured on blocks corresponding in shape with the nishing-blocks, whereby, whether with or without the use of stiffening matter, the felted fabric, whether of wool or of fur, is condensed, hardened, stiffened, and set in the shape or form required by the trade. v

Under my novel process, without the employment of any stiffening material, I can produce those known as soft hats, and also those known as half stiff. In the manufacture of so-called full stiff hats this novel feature referred to is also of value, in that the operations of stretching and blocking on the finishing-block are first completed, and to the fully-shaped hat about one-half of the heretofore-used quantity of stiff is applied with a brush, after which, while on a full-shaped block and secured thereto, it is subjected to the steam-bath, resulting not only in setting the ber, as when no stiff is used, but also causing the sti'ening matter which is employed to be well incorporated with the fabric.

In some classes of hats au extra stiff brim is required. Heretofore it has been difficult to properly proportion the stiffening matter to brim and body, but under my process no difficulty is experienced, as the stiffening mattermay be applied only to the brim, the body being sufficiently stiffened solely by the steambath.

Among the advantages of my novel process are, as in soft hats, the economy resulting from not using any stiening matter whatever, and a partial saving in cost of labor heretofore requisite for its application. Also, in half or full stiff hats, that economy which results from the saving of at least half the value of the stiifening matter heretofore employed, and in large manufactories this is an item of considerable importance.

In addition to this saving effected by my novel process, another valuable result accrues in th at the felted fabrics, properly stiened by this reduced quant-ity of stitfening matter, present a much clearer and softer appearance, and their durability is greatly increased.

The manufacture of seamless felted wearing apparel has, to a great extent, been abandoned, by reason of such garments speedily losing their shape when exposed to wear and the weather. Felted goods of this class condensed, stifened, and set by my process, while on a shaping-block, will not be liable to lose the form imparted thereto by the block, and at the same time they will possess the desired degree of elasticity and durability.

My invention further consists in a novel apparatus adapted for convenient use in practically stiffening hats under my novel process. Said apparatus is composed of a steam-tight chamber, provided with suitable pipes, a detachable head, and means for readily attaching and det-aching said head during its use; and my invention still further consists in the novel combination of a crown block, rimbloek, and screw-clamp, for preventing a hat fromshrinking out of shape during the stiffening operation. y

In the drawings, Figures l and 2 represent a novel apparatus practicably adapted for stiifening hats by my novel process. Figs. 3 and 41.- repiesent, in perspective and section, a hat with clamp ready for stii'ening.

In connect-ion with the apparatus, A denotes the steam-chamber. It should be composed of suitable metal, and so constructed as to enable it to safely withstand a steam pressure of, say, from sixty to eighty pounds to the square inchand so arranged as to afford free and convenient access to its interior. It is provided with a steam-pipe, as at a, and preferably with a condense-water pipe, as at b, both having suitable cocks. To enable the pressure of steam to be accurately determined, the chamber will be provided either with a steamgage, as shown, or, instead thereof, a graduated escape-valve may be employed. 'B denotes a detachable head. It is mounted on slide-rods c, which extend from the chamber to a standard, as at d, on which the head can slide to and from the opening of the chamber. Any suitable means may be employed at the point-s where the head and chamber are in contact to effect a steam-tight joint. In this instance I have provided the chamber at its open end with a sharp annular edge, as at e, and the head on its inner face with an annular packin g-ring of soft metal, as at f. When the edge e and soft metal are brought into contact under pressure a steam-tight joint is effected. Instead ofthe soft metal, a rubber gasket may as well be employed, in which case the edge of the chamber will preferably be rounded to afford considerably greater packing-surface. To the inner face of the head a carrier, g, is secured, which conforms more orpless closely to the lower walls of the chamberfThfis carrier is somewhat elevated at its inn'er'yend, in order that the charge of hats maybe more securely retained thereby during the outward movement of the head, and also so that condense water may freely flow therefrom through an open space near the head.

It is, of course, important that the operation of adjusting and removing the head be performed with dispatch, and at the same time it is important that said head be securely held against the immense pressure of the steam when in position. I have therefore combined with the head a moving and locking mechanism, which is operated by a crank.

rEhe standard d is a bow-shaped structure of cast-iron, and is firmly attached to the chamber by the rods c, and mounted on a suitable base. At right angles to the rods, a little be- Alow a central point between them, the crankshaft his located on the standard, and provided with bearings on each side thereof. To the center of the head B, on its outer surface, a rectangular rack-gear, i, is hinged by means of a heavy joint having extensive bearings independent of the hinge-pin. The vrack-gear engages with a small gear on the crank-shaft. The rack-gear t' carries, on each side, a locking-bar, 7c. These bars are hinged to the rack,

' and have also extensive end bearings against the rack, which are also independent of the hinge-pin. I/Vithin the-bow of the standard, above the crank-shaft, are two solid abutting shoulders, one on each side of the rack. and

exactly in line with the locking-bars k. \Vhen the crank-shaft is turned in one direction the gear thereon engages with the rack-gear, and carries the head to the chamber and closes it. The rectangular portionof the rack is then carried downward, and so forces the head with great pressure against the chamber. The locking-bars then fall to a horizontal position, with their outer ends abutting against the abutting shoulders before referred to as being on the standard within the bow. By this abutment of the locking-bars with the standard it is obvious that no pressure ban move the head so longas the standard is maintained in position by the rods c. When the crank is turned in the opposite direction the outer end of the rack-gear is elevated; andthe pins Z on the rack, by engaging with the under side of the -locking-bars, lift them from contact with the abutting shoulders, and the head is freely withdrawn by the rack and crank gear.

Similar locking and operating mechanism is described in Letters Patent heretofore issued to mein another connection, and therefore constitute, in themselves, no portion of my present invention.

In order to cause the rack and crank gear to maintain working relations at the time the outer end `of the rack is fully raised, a guidingsurface, as at m, is provided, which assists the gear in imparting the initial backward move-A ment to the rack. The condense-water pipe, as shown, although of value as a means for reducing pressure with-` in the chamber, when desirable, may be dispensed with as a condense-water discharger by having the front or open end of the cham-' ber slightly lower than the rear end, so that the condense water incident to each operationl will be freely discharged on the removal of the head, the carrier g being sufficiently above the lower side of the chamber to keep the hats out of the water. It is important, however, to provide for a disehargeof the steam from the chamber before starting off the head, and a pipe could therefore be provided for that purpose, which, from its location, might not be able to operate as a duct for the waters of condensation.

For practically stiffening hats by my novel process it is impossible to present indexible instructions. Felted fur, for instance, requires a longer time and a greater pressure of steam than woolen felt. So also do differentlycolored hats require variable treatment, for the reason that some colors are employed which, of themselves, as well as the mordant employed therewith, variably affect the fibers of fur and wool.

By steaming the fabric it is condensed or hardened, and thereby stitt'ened. A shrinking of the fabric is an attendant result; and, as the hats are not subjected to the steam-bath until after lthey are shaped by stretching and blocking, it is of importance that during the steaming process the hats be so controlled as to permit shrinkage only in lines at right angles to the outer and inner surfaces of the hat 5 or, expressed in different terms, shrinkage is prevented, except such as will render the fabric rmer and thinner. To control the shrinkage, as aforesaid,l the full-shaped hat is placed upon the block C, which has a form corresponding withthat of the finishing-block. A rim-block,

D, is then placed on the upper side ofthe hatrim.l The edge of the hat-rim is then tightly drawn up around the edge of the rim-block, and secured thereto by means of awire or cord, as 'at n, which operates in conjunction with an annular groove in the edge of the rim-block. A detachable screw-clamp,'E, is then applied, which has two bearings on the upper side of the rim-block at opposite points, and a central screw, which bears on the lower side of theinner block C at its center. By turning the screw the hat-block C is forced inward, and the hat thereby properly strained at its rim, side, crown, and tip. When thus clamped and held the hat is subjected to the steam-bath.

Thesteam-chamber may beconstructed ofany convenient size; for instance, with a capacity of containing one dozen hats on their blocks. I find it preferable to clamp as many as six hats, or even more, on one block, one over the other, and to stiften, at one operation, all of them, which requires but a little more time than is requisite for stiffening a single hat. Therefore,in a chamber capable of containing about one dozen clamping-blocks, it will be possible to stiifen, say, siX dozen hats at one operation.

As instances of the variable treatment in the stiffening of hats by my novel process, I will state that I have properly stiffened black Wool hats in about thirty minutes with steam at about tifteen pounds pressure to the square inch. Light-colored Wool hats I have properly stiffened in about the same length of time with steam at about twenty-ii ve pounds pressure. I find that fur hats can be well stiifened in about thirty minutes with steam at about forty-live pounds pressure. The stock in fur hats so stiffened is in no manner injured, and the hats have a degree of desirable elasticity which, as I believe, has never before been attained in the art.

I do not lay down as absolute the above pressures and lengths of time, as the time and pressure must necessarily be varied in accordance with the character of the stock in the hats, as will be readily comprehended by persons skilled in the art.

Light colored hats stiffened by my process are not liable to be spotted in the operation, as is frequently the case when stiffening matter is employed as heretofore; and in this connection it will be well to state that the interior of the chamber should be so lined that light-colored goods cannot be endangered by stain from iron-rust. Hats stiffened by my process are not materially affected by moisture, as has been evidenced by a test, in which the curled rim of one of them was iilled with Water for several days, withoutin any material manner affecting its symmetry, stiffness, or elasticity. The process of stiffening as heretofore practiced resulted merely in imparting to the hat a shortlived capacity for retaining its shape, Without'in any manner contributing to its intrinsic value, While my novel process not only results in all that was heretofore attained, but, in laddition thereto, increases the life of its capacity for retaining its shape to an extent almost equal to the life of the hat, and actually improves the hat by increasing the solidity and elasticity of the felted fabric, and giving it greater durability.

Whenever it is desirable to produce softfmished hats, with half-stiff or full-stiff brims, I apply to the brims about onehalf of the quantity of stif'ening matter heretofore employed for attaining a half or full stiff, as the case may be, and then subject the hats to the steam-bath in like manner as already described. The same lessened proportion of stiffenin g matter is employed by me for rendering the entire hat half-stiff or full-stiff.'

It will be understood that steam-chambers, however constructed, provided they have a capacity for containing the hats, are readily accessible and rendered steam-tight, may be employed for stiffenin g hats under my process, and thatIhave purposed, by that portion ofmy invention which relates particularly to the apparatus, the production of means having a practical value by reason of the facility aiordedfor safe and rapid operations.

It is well known to persons skilled in the art that hot water and steam have long been used in various stages of the manufacture of felted goods. In stretching hats and other articles steam and hot water have been employed for warming and softening the fabric, in order that the stretching could be more easily effected with decreased liability of injury by rupture. I am not aware, however, that prior to my invention hats or other felted goods have ever been stiiened in whole or in part by subjecting them to a steam-bath after they have been fully shaped, and while they were securely confined on blocks.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, to be secured by Letters Patentl. The novel process of stiffening hats and other felted articles, which consists in subjecting them to a steam-bath after they have been shaped on a iinishing block, and while they are secured on blocks, which prevent them from shrinking out of shape, substantially as described.

2. The improvement in the art of stiiening hats and other felted fabrics, which consists in applying thereto the stiiening matter after they have been properly stretched and shaped 011 a finishing block, and subsequently subjecting them to a steam-bath while secured on blocks which retain them in the shape imparted by the tinishingblock, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus for stiffening hats, composed of a steam tight chamber, provided with a suitable induction-pipe, a sliding head adapted to form a steam tight `joint, with an opening in the chamber, and a locking device for securely holding the head under pressure against the chamber, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a steam-chamber, of a sliding head, rack, crank shaft, lockingbars, and abutting standard, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the crown-block,rim block, and screw -clamp, substantially as described.

RUDOLF EIOKEMEYER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE NAEE, JOSEPH H. TAEBELL, JAs. G. WooDwoE'rH. 

